Construction was recently completed on The Retail Village at Sycamore & Oak, a 22,000-sf building that will serve as a business incubator for entrepreneurs, including emerging black businesses, in Washington, D.C. The facility, designed by Sir David Adjaye, the architect of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, is expected to attract retail and food concepts that originated in the community.
The building, located in Congress Heights, which has a 38% poverty level—more than double the District’s average rate, will provide a venue for job creation in the economically disadvantaged neighborhood. Michelin star chef and humanitarian Jose Andres will mentor Retail Village restaurant owners. The project was partly conceptualized and will be fully managed by members of the Congress Heights community.
The structure was constructed with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified, sustainably harvested mass timber. The entire structure, built using screws instead of nails, can be taken apart and reused.
A plinth is used as a focal point for gathering and creates a viewing deck into the multiple programs held in the education centers, as well as for retail incubators, outdoor dining spaces, and a performance pavilion. The structure is open-air with a canopy that offers protection from the elements and cultivates a sense of intimacy or ‘community within community’ when visitors gather underneath.
An environmental canopy collects rainwater and generates electricity from photovoltaic panels. An all-electric building, Sycamore & Oak will demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of solar energy, battery storage, heat pumps, and induction cooking, according to a news release. Some of the furniture used locally sourced wood from recovered street trees.
The project, scheduled to open the public on June 14, has already won an award from the D.C. Department of Energy and Environment for demonstrating equity and inclusion in sustainable construction.
On the project team:
Owner and/or developer: STE15 LLC, a joint venture of the Emerson Collective and Redbrick LMD
Design architect: Sir David Adjaye, Adjaye Associates
Architect of record: Winstanley Associates
MEP engineer: CSCE
Structural engineer: Structurecraft
General contractor/construction manager: Banneker Communities
Related Stories
| Dec 28, 2014
AIA course: Enhancing interior comfort while improving overall building efficacy
Providing more comfortable conditions to building occupants has become a top priority in today’s interior designs. This course is worth 1.0 AIA LU/HSW.
| Dec 28, 2014
7 fresh retail design strategies
Generic ‘boxes’ and indifferent service won’t cut it with today’s savvy shoppers. Retailers are seeking a technology-rich-but-handmade vibe, plus greater speed to market and adaptability.
| Dec 8, 2014
How brick and mortar enables online retail
According to a shopping preferences study conducted by A.T. Kearney, as many as two-thirds of shoppers go to a physical store before or after making an online purchase, writes Gensler's Jill Nickels.
| Dec 2, 2014
Nashville planning retail district made from 21 shipping containers
OneC1TY, a healthcare- and technology-focused community under construction on 18.7 acres near Nashville, Tenn., will include a mini retail district made from 21 shipping containers, the first time in this market containers have been repurposed for such use.
| Nov 26, 2014
Need some pep on the job site? Check out this ruggedized coffeemaker on Kickstarter
The CoffeeBoxx single-serve brewer is billed as the world’s first ruggedized coffeemaker.
| Nov 18, 2014
New tool helps developers, contractors identify geographic risk for construction
The new interactive tool from Aon Risk Solutions provides real-time updates pertaining to the risk climate of municipalities across the U.S.
| Nov 10, 2014
Hotel construction pipeline hits five-year high
The hotel construction pipeline hit a five-year high in the third quarter, clocking in at 3,516 projects and 443,936 rooms, Lodging Econometrics reports.
| Nov 3, 2014
Cairo's ultra-green mixed-use development will be topped with flowing solar canopy
The solar canopy will shade green rooftop terraces and sky villas atop the nine-story structure.
| Oct 31, 2014
Dubai plans world’s next tallest towers
Emaar Properties has unveiled plans for a new project containing two towers that will top the charts in height, making them the world’s tallest towers once completed.
| Oct 29, 2014
Better guidance for appraising green buildings is steadily emerging
The Appraisal Foundation is striving to improve appraisers’ understanding of green valuation.
